And while I’ve always loved visiting some of these beach communities throughout my time in Los Angeles, the unfortunate recent wildfires prompted an unexpected “evacuation-staycation” as I have come to call it. My family and I were so fortunate to have had a safe, and outright beautiful, place to call home for the week while we watched so many of our neighbors and friends deal with the absolute heartbreaking conditions caused by the Palisades and Altadena fires. We are beyond grateful our home was not directly affected but we are devastated for the wonderful community we’ve seen torn apart.

However, Parker and our dogs were convinced this was a family vacation, and the joy I felt seeing their faces (and tails) light up at the idea of getting all this quality time together with mom, dad and all the grandparents, served as a small highlight in the midst of absolute chaos and fear.

As most parents did, we tried our very best to keep some type of routine for Parker and our dogs who have never left our house before. Both Arthur and I were also attempting to work and manage our parents who also joined along with their pets too. Every time I found myself frustrated with our temporary situation I immediately considered how significantly blessed I was to have these problems at the moment, thinking about how parents in the midst of absolute trauma were managing to keep stability and spirit with their children while battling insurance companies, tragic loss and managing to replace very basic needs.

How do you even leave the house without the coat you always wear to walk the dogs? Where is my medicine I rely on daily? How do I replace an entire kitchen to get the next meal prepared for my kids? Where can I find my baby another lovie before her next nap? The thoughts are never ending.

I gave myself grace, but did my best to stay grounded in these moments that were nothing in comparison to some of my counterparts who lost their childhood homes, their own homes, precious landmarks, businesses, schools and an entire community.

Everything. Gone.

So I did my best to cherish what we had, which was time together in a beautiful new place to explore.

During our week in the Southbay we stayed in two different spots, the first right on the marina, which was a beautiful place to be with sunset views from our windows and a cozy dinner at Bayleen before relocating to Manhattan Beach to a hotel that had more amenities we needed like a kitchen and easy outdoor space. Luckily both places did a good job of accommodating many displaced guests, like my in-laws bird and hosting a complimentary screening of Wicked.

I’ve always spent time near the Manhattan Beach pier, but during this trip we were just a tad inland, which felt like a completely different world.

As someone who’s always lived in Brentwood (and Santa Monica for a minute) being in the Southbay felt like a trip to Orange County, a beautiful beachside suburb with all the amenities of home and just more space. The Whole Foods was enormous, the restaurants had tables available, there was a legitimate size target with a pharmacy and a Starbucks inside.

Similar to Orange County, so many of the restaurants we are familiar with (like Sushi Roku, Boa, Mercado, Sweetgreen, Silverlake Ramen) at home had outposts at the relatively new Manhattan Village, a large shopping center that was very family friendly just a two minute drive from our hotel. Parker loved running around on the turf grass mounds and all the kids his age were out enjoying themselves while parents sat around the fire pit.

It’s safe to say we were quite comfortable here and the cherry on top was getting to see our friends who visited us one evening for dinner at a cute spot called Tin Roof Bistro, a Napa themed spot I would highly recommend anyone nearby.

I was able to find a comfortable desk to work at, along with a delicious sugar cookie from the huge selection at Whole Foods. Parker love his trip to target and the girls basked in the sunset walks with new smells.

My mother and I managed to make an outing to Palos Verdes, an area I hadn’t been to in quite some time that really felt like the pearl of the entire Southbay region.

Perched above the ocean on cliffs, this upscale seaside town felt like a mix of Newport Beach and Carmel by the Sea with its sprawling seaside estates and European charm. We of course ventured to the stunning Terranea Resort for a sunset dinner and some beautiful cocktails at the bar beforehand. Since we came on a Sunday evening, their premiere restaurant Mar’sel wasn’t open but we loved the seafood-centric menu at Nelson’s, which also boasted ocean views and had a delicious lobster roll for me to munch on.

We also ventured the next morning to nearby Malaga Cove Plaza for a coffee and a sweet treat at a charming French cafe I had been meaning to find for sometime now called Yellow Vase. The bakery has several locations in the area but this one boasts such a cute little courtyard that feels a lot like Carmel by the Sea, which is my favorite place in California. I highly recommend a visit and some time to enjoy the rest of the beautiful plaza with it’s Spanish style brick structure and cute little shops like the Malaga Cove Ranch Market and Corners of the World.

It was a great little treat before heading back home, feeling beyond grateful to have the privilege to do so. While this has been such a heavy month for so many reasons even beyond the wildfires, I really have found a new appreciation for things I have always taken for granted and paid little attention and excitement to. Home is such a special place and truly a privilege to find joy in everyday.

All the love, xx